Despite the terror of it all, I found the write-up about this boarding to be worthy of sharing on so many levels.
http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-07-12-1

Beautifully written, bringing together all the facets of cruising that make it one of the best lifestyles in the world, despite the drama these people went through.
Not that I know about cruising, what with being a mooring buoy untwister for most of my sailing life so far.

Grehan

16-07-11, 10:13

Yes indeed. Thanks Maria.

TQA

16-07-11, 13:34

" Two men from St Vincent have been arrested. The robbers were after money for this week's St Vincent Carnival & having stolen a local boat from Mayreau, robbed the first yacht they came to in The Cays.

The local community is as horrified as us yachties. They remind us that this is the first incident of its kind there. " Excerpt taken from the Grenada Cruisers Facebook page.

tcm

16-07-11, 14:48

Hm, not very good news. Hope they're okay. If the words are verbatim, then a robber saying "nav station" is rather giving away that they are very familiar with sailing boats.

I have suggested "dud" money before, and of course it needn't be fake money - it could just be a small portion of all cash. Another of this parish has a big wad of near-worthless but impressive-looking currency. Then of course they could have just gone and got out the money instead of the knife/gun fight.

Oh and regarding beautifully written..... I think "whomever" is a horrid clumsy word, and there were also some incorrectly capitalised words such as "Sharks". Sorry.

Reverend Ludd

16-07-11, 15:08

If the words are verbatim, then a robber saying "nav station" is rather giving away that they are very familiar with sailing boats.

I didn't think the robber said it?

seanfoster

16-07-11, 19:06

Oh and regarding beautifully written..... I think "whomever" is a horrid clumsy word, and there were also some incorrectly capitalised words such as "Sharks". Sorry.

Oh, please!!!

CodStewart

16-07-11, 19:36

Oh and regarding beautifully written..... I think "whomever" is a horrid clumsy word, and there were also some incorrectly capitalised words such as "Sharks". Sorry.[/QUOTE]

I stand by my guns, it was beautifully written, in a way that didn't leave a bad taste in the mouths of all who read this.
It was generous, not an angry put down of the place, or cruising, given what happened.
And, well-written.

mandlmaunder

17-07-11, 03:59

I know that anchorage very well having spent many nights there as both skipper of a charter boat and on our own boat.

There is a large community of 'boat boys' that make their living from the cruisers that frequent the Cays, they have very definite views about security in the area and anyone messing with their livelihood, I think the assailants are lucky the police got to them first.

The area is outstanding in an area of outstanding beauty, and we will be staying as long as we can next time through the Grenadines.

This is an unfortunate incident, but it is an isolated occurrence in an area that sees thousands of cruisers every year.

As for boat security and deterrents on board, a tazer is not a notifiable weapon, neither is having a large amount of sleeping pills crushed in to top shelf rum.

Mark

CodStewart

17-07-11, 06:31

I know that anchorage very well having spent many nights there as both skipper of a charter boat and on our own boat.

There is a large community of 'boat boys' that make their living from the cruisers that frequent the Cays, they have very definite views about security in the area and anyone messing with their livelihood, I think the assailants are lucky the police got to them first.

The area is outstanding in an area of outstanding beauty, and we will be staying as long as we can next time through the Grenadines.

This is an unfortunate incident, but it is an isolated occurrence in an area that sees thousands of cruisers every year.

As for boat security and deterrents on board, a tazer is not a notifiable weapon, neither is having a large amount of sleeping pills crushed in to top shelf rum.

Mark

I like the sleeping tablets idea and also the taser.
I have bear spray so far.

KellysEye

17-07-11, 10:58

If you are in Jolly Harbour, Antigua, the fishing rod etc shop sells a spray containing a mix of CS gas and pepper.

Reverend Ludd

17-07-11, 11:39

I like the sleeping tablets idea

:confused::confused:

mike_bryon

17-07-11, 12:08

A number of yachts mine included were robbed a couple of months ago here in Canouan (6 miles from the Cays). the three men responsible then travelled by speed boat to rob a yacht in Mayreau. They were arrested in Bequia having taken the ferry from Canouan to rob yachts. The police had followed them. One of the three, a Canouan guy, had been out of prison only a few weeks having served a sentence for boat robberies. At the moment there is a spate of house robberies ashore.

Last week a man drowned, one gave himself up and another escaped from the island when their speed boat carrying drugs sank on the reef behind Canouan. A good many canisters of fuel were washed ashore.